A Batman Beyond Wedding
by Jas- El
Summary: Follows the Epilogue as Terry and Dana embark on the road to marriage


Batman Beyond Wedding

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The small velvet box in his jackets pocket felt heavy, far heavier then something as small as the box and the contents contend within in it were. He sighed as he once again pulled the box from his pocket as he waited and examined its contents. It was still hard to believe that Bruce had given it to him, especially considering it was a Wayne family heirloom. But then again he was technically a Wayne, and it would be just like Bruce to give him a family heirloom to show him that he knew about project Batman Beyond without even saying it out loud.

Movement out of the corner of his eye from the restaurants window caught his eye and he quickly closed and re-pocketed the small velvet box. Dana was quickly being led to the table by the hostess of the restaurant, and the last thing he needed was for her to see the box before he had even asked her. She was just too smart not to know what was inside of it. He rose from his seat as she got closer and smiled at her which she happily returned. The moment that she got close enough to him he embraced her and swiftly placed a kiss upon her lips. Once he pulled himself away, noting the slight daze that had overtaken her he pulled her chair out for to sit on, and once she was seated he seated himself.

They were both silent for a moment, both content to be in each others presence to say anything. Then without warning Dana leaned forward and said, "You're looking better then you have lately. Is everything alright now?"

Terry smiled, she was always worrying about him. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'll tell you about it later though."

She scrutinized him for a moment before nodding that she understood that it was really something that had to be discussed in private. She grabbed her menu from the table and began to look it over for a moment before looking back up at Terry. "You know, we usually only come here on special occasions. Not that I'm complaining mind you, but what's the occasion?"

The smirk that Terry had been wearing only grew with the question. "Can't I just take my girlfriend of fifteen years to a nice restaurant without needing a reason?"

Dana narrowed her eyes at him. "You don't usually do things without a reason Terry."

"True." Terry turned away from her, his gaze roaming over the city that he had been protecting ever since he had been a senior in high school. His eyes narrowed as he saw a number of the GCPD vehicles speed by in the distance before calming himself, he had asked Ben to stand in for him tonight for a reason. He and Matt could take care of things by themselves for one night.

"If you have to go you should go." Dana said drawing his attention back to her. He noted that she had a small knowing smile. Sometimes it seemed so long ago that she would get upset with him for skipping out on their dates, and now she was okay with it.

"Not tonight." Terry answered, and she raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Why not?" She asked.

Terry was silent a moment, thinking over the best way of answering that question without giving away his intentions. He had wanted to ask her later in their dinner, possibly when they had ordered their desserts, but he knew that any excuse that he gave her now she wouldn't fully believe, and he really didn't want to lie to her. He had done that far too much to her in the past.

Taking her hand Terry answered her question. "Because the two of us have been together far longer then either us really expected, especially me after everything I've put you through in the past. Because you mean too much to me to ruin tonight by running off before I get the chance to do what I've been wanting to do for the past couple of years.

Dana, the two of us, we've been through so much together. Even more so ever since I told you about my 'job'. You've kept me sane, helped me to stay who I am when I should have lost it years ago. You are my rock. As cliché as it sounds you're the belfry to my bat." She smirked at that. However the smirk faded as he stood and made his way around the table and knelt in front of her, never once losing hold of her hand.

"Dana, I know that I've made you wait far too long to ask you this question," he pulled the velvet box from his pocket and with one hand opened it once again and for a moment Dana marveled at how the restaurants lights danced off the diamond. "Will you marry me Dana?"

Dana looked from him to the ring and back. She noted that for the second time Terry were an expression of seriousness yet also one of uncertainty. And for a moment she was no longer sitting in the restaurant but she was lying in a hospital bed, and she was twenty-nine but she was eighteen once again.

Flashback

The pain in her head was horrible, but at least it was better then it had been. Her eyes roamed the spacious room, and she wondered if it was her father that had made sure that she had a room all to herself. Just as she was turning try and look out the rooms window she heard the door opening and quickly turned around, wincing as the pain in her head doubled at the sudden movement.

Terry was walking through the door to her room, his face downcast and feeling of foreboding entered her being. He closed the door behind him and slowly made his way to her bedside. He took her hand and after another moment looked up at her, and she could finally read the look in his eyes, one that said that he was thinking of something serious yet at the same time he was uncertain about something.

"Tere'? Is something wrong?" Dana asked, her voice small with worry.

He looked up at her and shook his head, "No, there's nothing wrong."

"Then what is it?" Dana asked.

Terry abruptly stood from his seat and walked to the room window, he was silent for a few moments as he stared out at the city, and Dana allowed him his moment as she could tell he needed it to put his thoughts together.

"You've been wondering what it is that I do that makes me walk out on our dates so suddenly." It wasn't a question just a statement. Dana nodded when she noticed that he had slightly turned to look at him. "I can't leave you in the dark about it anymore, not after tonight, not after what happened to you."

He was blaming himself for what happened to her Dana realized, but why she didn't know. "Terry, you can't blame yourself for what happened. The Jokerz would have gone after anyone, they didn't single you out."

"But they did." Terry said and he turned back to the city, to what had in recent months become his city.

"Because you work for Mr. Wayne?" Dana asked.

Terry turned back to her once again and nodded. "Partly." With one last glance out the window turned back to around and made his way back to the chair by her bedside. "Dana, you need to know that what I'm about to tell you, its not to be taken lightly. I need you to promise that you won't tell anyone else."

Dana looked at him a moment before nodding, "I promise."

"The reason that I always run off on you, the reason that I'm always sleeping in class, that I'm always tired. It's all because I'm Batman."

Dana stared at him silently for a moment, trying to digest that piece of information. In some odd way it made since. He always seemed to know about something that happed to her, or anyone for that matter that had to do with Batman before he had even been told. Suddenly a thought hit her. "Mr. Wayne, he was the first Batman. He's been training you."

Terry nodded. "How? How long?" Dana asked.

"Back when my dad died. I saved the old man from a bunch of Jokerz, and when I found a disc that my dad had left I brought it to Mr. Wayne thinking that he could figure out what happened. I ended up breaking into the his Batcave, found the suit and put it on hoping to take the guys on that killed my dad. At first Bruce didn't want me to have the suit, but in time he began to understand that I needed to be Batman. He let me keep the suit and allowed me to continue being Batman, he hired me under the pretense of being his assistant."

"And tonight?" Dana asked.

Terry sighed and ran his hand through his hair. They came after me, the Joker, the real Joker came back. He knew who Bruce was, who I was. He wanted to hurt me through you."

"The Jokerz, the don't know…" Dana asked after a moment.

"No, he didn't tell them who I was luckily." The two were quiet for a moment after this, Terry waiting to see how she would react and Dana digesting everything that had been said.

Finally having enough Terry said. "I'll understand if you don't want to be with me anymore. It'd probably be safer for you that way."

Dana's eyes shot up to meet he's and her voice stronger than it had been said. "And why would I leave you. You're a hero Terry, a real hero. You put your life on the line every night for others. There's no one I want to be with other than you."

"You're not angry? Terry asked.

"I am, but not at you but at myself. I feel like an idiot for how I've treated you when all you were doing was saving peoples lives, my own life from time to time. I love you Terry, never forget that."

End Flash back.

Dana smiled at the memory, things had only gotten easier for them after that. They still argued, Terry insisted on making things seem as normal as possible, but their arguments were never as bad as they had been. They hadn't even broken up since he had told her, a feet that Chelsea had taken forever to get used to.

Looking down at him, at his anxious face she couldn't help but picture what their future would hold, maybe children. She nodded, tears welling in her eyes and Terry's anxious face broke into a wide grin.


End file.
